just some observations about body image
As I sit here, three days after having the lap band removed, and soooo relieved to know the vomiting is over, I am reading various posts about post surgery folks having trouble accepting their loose skin. And it took me back to 2005 when I had my first total knee replacement. I weighed in at 321 lbs. pre-surgery so you know I was trying to hide all that fat. Currently, I am at 375, or was before this surgery and I just got back from running errands in my shorts and a tee shirt.
After my knee surgery, the incision line which runs about 12" down the middle of my knee area, let me know in no uncertain terms that it did NOT appreciate having the fabric of my jeans or anything else rubbing along the line and across the grain. Since that happened in early March, by the time I finished physical therapy in April, there was NO WAY I was ever going to make myself suffer again wearing jeans all summer, or anything long to cover how fat I was. I found out how good it felt with shorts on, on a 90 degree day! And I have not gone back to making myself suffer since!
Why am I talking about fat when you are talking about saggy skin? Because there is no difference, it's all relative. We hide ourselves from the world, making ourselves miserable, hot, sticky, sweaty (minds out of the gutter please)....and for what? Or should I say for whom? If someone doesn't like the way I look in shorts, look the other way! I don't leave my house without my mascara and eye liner and a bit of blush. I look as good as I am able because I care. But I am not wearing clothing that is uncomfortable again, for anyone.
Have some pride in how you look but stop worrying about the rest. You will thank yourself for it later.
And...by the way, I have had more men flirting with me since that time then ever before. Not cheezy flirts, nice, classy flirts, and smiles, and "can I help you with this" and that sort of stuff.
It amazed me that when I stopped trying to hide myself from the world, life got better.
All posts that I make on this site, any forum, are a result in my having experience and caring for anyone having to go through life as an obese person. If you have medical issues, please see your doctor for medical advice.
Karen
Great post, I know I still wear shirts that are too big, the only thing is I like v neck shirts, so what was a tease of "the girls" b4, shows almost a full monty version of them now, especially when I bend over! LOL, I had to put those shirts away, oh well.
No one surgery is better than the other, what works for one may not work for another.
T-Rebel
